Panel considers 'In God We Trust'

The House Judiciary Committee will consider a resolution Thursday to reaffirm “In God We Trust” as the national motto.

Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) sponsored the resolution, which also encourages displaying the phrase in public buildings, schools, and other government institutions.

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The phrase was made the official U.S. motto in 1956. It is inscribed on U.S. coins and bills.

“We don’t believe that it has changed since 1956,” Forbes told POLITICO. “We think it’s the right moto for us today. We just want to make that clear to the country.”

But the line also has its critics, who argue that the phrase is a violation of the Establishment Clause of the Constitution. Not surprisingly, the resolution has already drawn the ire of activists.

Rev. Barry Lynn, the executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, accused House Republicans of using the vote as a means to “mollify religious conservatives.”

“This is divisive and a diversion from important national issues. No wonder public opinion of Congress is so low. We face a dire economic situation, the threat of a government shut-down and world instability, and House members are wasting time on symbolic religious issues,” said Lynn.

Forbes responded to his critics by saying Congress can multi-task several issues, and “to a lot of people, the fact that this country was built on faith, the fact that faith is important, ‘In God We Trust’ is important.”

Forbes sponsored the same resolution last Congress, but it never made it out of the Judiciary Committee. Forbes’ office reports they have 56 co-sponsors so far – both Democrats and Republicans.